elise lopez 8/19/22 elise lopez 8/19/22

DIY: Crochet Fruit Slice Bags

I’ve been trying to use up a lot of stash and scraps lately, and got the inspiration to crochet these fruit slice bags. I used up so many scraps and they are just so cute!

I think these would make great notions or makeup bags, or perfect to carry as a little clutch. you could add a wrist strap like i did on the watermelon version, or a longer strap to make it a crossbody!

The construction is super simple: just a crocheted circle, folded in half with a zipper and a simple lining.

I didn’t put together an official pattern for this design, but here are my notes for how I made these! I also have a short tutorial video showing how i sewed in the zipper and lining.

happy crocheting!

Materials

Worsted weight yarn in 1-4 (or more) colors, depending on what kind of fruit you’d like to make, or any another design idea (rainbow, stripes, etc.)

H/8-5.00mm crochet hook

Tapestry needle

sewing needle

14” zipper

Scrap fabric for lining, approx. 12x12”

sewing thread

Pattern

in main color, chain 4 and join to make a circle. work 8 single crochet stitches into the circle.

Setup: on the next round, increase every stitch by working 2 single crochet sts into each previous stitch.

complete 1 round in single crochet, with no increases.

r1: *Increase one stitch, single crochet 2 (3, 4, 5, 6, 7) sts* and repeat * to * across the round.

r2: complete 1 round in single crochet, with no increases.

Note: on each r1, you will add one stitch in between increases. so the first time you will *increase, sc 2* and the second time *Increase, sc 3*, until you reach 7 sts between increases. finish on a r2 row.

(depending on design, switch to contrast color and) work 1 round of single crochet.

(depending on design, switch to contrast color and) work 2 rounds of single crochet.

break yarn and weave in ends.

fold in half and sew in 14” zipper in color that matches the fruit rind. Trim scrap fabric into a circle with at least 1” of allowance over the zipper. cut 1/4” notches around the edge of the fabric circle, and pin to the inside of the crocheted circle (right side of fabric facing up). fold the edges under and pin along the edge of the zipper. use an invisible stitch to secure fabric.

elise lopez 6/16/22 elise lopez 6/16/22

DIY: The daily walk bag - Free Crochet Pattern

I have been crocheting a lot lately and It is sitting right with my soul. I just love how immediate it is, how easy it is to pick up and put down, and how you can so easily freestyle. I also love that you can start making really amazing things with the most basic crochet knowledge.

This kind of freedom brings me a lot of joy, because even if i don’t have a destination in mind i almost always end up with something successful and functional. it’s a really nice departure from designing knitting patterns or even following them for personal projects because there are no stakes. it’s the perfect activity when i don’t have the bandwidth for knitting, but am not tired enough to not keep my hands busy.

and it was in this spirit that the daily walk crochet bag was created.

I whipped up this little bag because I needed something to put my phone in on walks when I don’t have any pockets. it has such simple construction and finishing details, and yet it is so cute and useful to me!

it inspired me to not only share how i made this bag with you, but also to create some simple tutorials to help if you’ve never wielded a crochet hook before. it’s my hope that maybe these instructions can help you complete your first crochet project!

continue reading below for the free pattern! follow me on instagram to get the first look at each tutorial video, and stay tuned for the final wrap-up blog post where you will be able to access all of the videos in one spot.

MATERIALS

YARDAGE/YARN: 120 YARDS, 4-PLY WORSTED WEIGHT 100% COTTON IN MAIN COLOR
SUGGESTED: LILY SUGAR’N CREAM,

100% cotton; 120 yds/109 m; 2.5 oz/70.9 g

HOOKS: MAIN HOOK: H/8-5.00MM
strap HOOK: F/5-3.75MM

TOOLS: TAPESTRY NEEDLE, scissors

gauge: 10 sts & 14 rows in 4” (10 cm), worked flat in moss/linen/granite stitch
FINISHED DIMENSIONS: approximately 5 x 14” (12.5 x 35.5 cm)

PATTERn

bag

WITH MAIN HOOK, FOUNDATION CHAIN 12 STS.
WORK FLAT SINGLE CROCHET MOSS/LINEN/GRANITE STITCH UNTIL PIECE MEASURES 20.5” (52 cm).

next you will work a few rows of decreases to shape the top of the flap.

on the next row, skip the first hole and work your first stitch into the second hole. continue working across the row as normal until you reach the last two holes; skip one and work last stitch into the last hole.

on the first row of decreases, skip the first hole and work your first stitch into the second hole

continue working across the row as normal until you reach the last two holes; skip one and work last stitch into the last hole

turn work and continue decreasing in this way until you finish with 3 stitches (decrease stitch, regular stitch, decrease stitch). Break yarn leaving a 6” tail.

Weave in ends and move on to seaming section.

Seaming

fold up the bottom edge of your work until the folded portion measures 7.5” (19 cm). make a new slip knot and join yarn to the left hand side, where the bottom left corner has been folded up to.

TIP: I recommend loosely pinning the folded section together to help you seam it up evenly. i used two cable needles, but metal stitch holders, extra tapestry needles, extra crochet hooks, or anything you have would work perfectly fine.

join yarn to the left hand side, where the bottom left corner has been folded up to

begin working single crochet stitches through both layers of fabric, down the left side edge, joining them together.

don’t worry about it being perfect; insert your hook through the holes nearest to the left side edge, wherever it feels natural and easiest to grab and pull yarn through.

when you reach the last “hole” before the bottom edge, make sure to work two single crochet stitches there (work one as normal, and then simply work another through the same hole), to turn the corner.

when you reach the bottom edge corners, make sure to work **two** single crochet stitches through those holes (work one as normal, and then simply work another through the same hole).

continue working single crochet stitches across the bottom folded edge of the bag. when you reach the last hole along the bottom edge work two single crochet stitches into that hole, and then continue working single crochet stitches up the right-hand side of the bag, joining the two layers of fabric together.

then continue working single crochet stitches up and around the top flap of the bag, until you reach your original starting point. Work one extra crochet stitch into the starting point where two layers of fabric meet, then switch to F/5-3.75mm hook. work single chain stitches until strap measures approximately 40” (101.5 cm).

switch to F/5-3.75mm hook and work singel chain stitches until strap measures approximately 40” (101.5 cm)

then join strap to opposite (right-hand) side of bag. Break yarn leaving a 6” (15 cm) tail.

weave in all ends and move on to trim section.

Trim

To make fringe trim, cut 28 lengths of yarn approximately 13” long. separate strands into bundles of 4 (you will have 7 bundles total). find the approximate center of each bundle, fold in half around your finger, and arrange on a flat surface with the middle clearly distinguished (see photo).

you will now attach fringe to the bottom “seam.” Start by attaching one bundle into each corner, then one in the middle. evenly place two bundles between the corner and middle fringe piece on both sides.

to attach, insert main hook underneath the seam stitch loop from backside of the bag to the front side (See photo).

to attach, insert main hook underneath the seam stitch loop from back to front

grab the center “loop” of fringe bundle and pull it carefully underneath the seam stitch until the loop is just accessible on the other side. grab the free ends of the fringe and thread them through the loop on the other side of the stitch. gently pull the free ends to secure the fringe knot.